Evening. The setting sun slanted across the sky.
In the small courtyard's open space, Lin Yang and Xiao Wu stood facing each other. At Lin Yang's nod, Xiao Wu stepped forward. In the blink of an eye, her leg whipped toward his head, the wind from her kick howling sharply through the air.
Lin Yang simply stood in place, shifting his body slightly. The attack missed its target instantly.
Xiao Wu was about to change her move when she realized Lin Yang had already predicted it. His palm landed heavily on her abdomen.
Bang!
Xiao Wu's face turned deathly pale as her body flew backward. She adjusted herself mid-air, retreating several steps before stabilizing herself.
"Your movements are too large, and the rhythm of the Soft Breathing Technique isn't steady enough," Lin Yang said directly, pointing out her flaws. "In your current state, you might handle average soul masters just fine. But against stronger ones, the breathing method will easily fall into chaos, and you'll end up hurting yourself instead.
"If you want to unlock 'Transparency,' the key lies in whether your breathing and movements are precise—whether you can exert maximum power with the smallest actions and the least soul power. Once you reach a certain standard, the world in your mind will become transparent. You will be able to 'see' every muscle and every blood vessel in your body. When you can skillfully control your muscles and blood flow, your mastery over your body will reach its peak."
At this moment, Xiao Wu raised her hand. "Then how far am I from that?"
Lin Yang rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Far. Very far. You're barely maintaining the breathing method at the 'Normal' level right now, let alone reaching the higher 'Transparency' state.
"I assume you've already noticed that the breathing method is beneficial for cultivation."
Xiao Wu nodded silently.
Indeed, without it, she couldn't have broken through to level 17 so quickly. Especially after reaching "Normal," she was practically cultivating at every moment.
Afterward, the two sparred for a few more simple rounds. Considering the neighbors on both sides, Lin Yang didn't use heavy force—he only pointed out flaws without going all out.
Once they finished, Xiao Wu was about to head to the bathroom for a soak when Lin Yang suddenly stopped her.
"Wait. I'm preparing a medicinal bath. You can soak in it later."
Xiao Wu looked slightly surprised. "You even know about this?"
"I know a little," Lin Yang replied casually. "Oh right, I wanted to ask—is the year limit of the soul rings you condense fixed?"
Xiao Wu shook her head. As a 100,000-year soul beast in human form, the first six soul rings were condensed by herself. The year limit depended on the maximum her body could withstand, and her soul skills would align with her own development direction. She would never have to worry about gaining a useless soul skill.
"If that's the case, after you finish soaking in the medicinal bath later, eat this."
Lin Yang took out several thumb-sized pieces of ten-year whale glue from his storage bracelet and handed them to Xiao Wu casually. He was currently using Dai Ziming's storage bracelet; the smaller storage ring had already been given to her.
"What is this… it smells so fishy!" Xiao Wu examined it closely. After catching a whiff, she immediately held it farther away in disgust.
"Whale glue," Lin Yang said flatly. "It's a nourishing aphrodisiac medicine."
Xiao Wu froze, then tossed the whale glue away like a hot potato, her small face flushing bright red. "Y-you… you… you wouldn't be thinking of… No, no, you can't do this…!"
Seeing her reaction, Lin Yang knocked her forehead hard in exasperation. "Can your brain think of anything else? Besides the aphrodisiac effect, this whale glue has other uses…"
He lowered his voice and explained briefly. Xiao Wu's eyes gradually widened into perfect circles.
"Is everything you said true?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized it was a stupid question. Lin Yang absorbing a 5,000-year soul ring with only two rings was living proof right in front of her.
Lin Yang nodded. "Remember, soften the whale glue over fire before eating it."
"Got it!"
Xiao Wu picked up the pieces from the ground. Now that she knew its true effects, she no longer minded the fishy smell. Instead, eager curiosity sparked in her eyes.
Soon, Lin Yang finished preparing the medicinal bath. The entire bathroom filled with a mixed scent of bitter herbs and faint spiciness.
"The medicinal bath must be taken while hot. Soak for a full half hour. While soaking, circulate the breathing method to guide the medicinal power into your muscles and bones," Lin Yang said, pointing at the bathtub. "Afterward, consume the whale glue, then soak in cold water to suppress the aphrodisiac effect."
Lin Yang explained everything in great detail, but Xiao Wu's face remained flushed. She clutched the whale glue tightly with both hands, not daring to meet his eyes.
After he finished speaking, Lin Yang returned to his room and began his daily meditation and cultivation. Xiao Wu, still holding the whale glue, entered the bathroom.
One hour later, Xiao Wu emerged with unsteady steps. Her fair, smooth skin carried an alluring rosy tint.
"Damn whale glue…" she muttered with a red face, supporting herself against the wall as she walked into her room.
Lin Yang, who was meditating, twitched his ears but paid no attention, focusing single-mindedly on his practice.
The surging soul power continuously washed over the external soul bone, slowly seeping his own traces into it. From his recent experiments, there were two feasible ways to fully fuse with an external soul bone: using powerful external pressure to force the fusion, or continuously tempering it with soul power, allowing it to gradually adapt—like boiling a frog in warm water. The process was slower, but it made Lin Yang even more familiar with the bone.